Telescope captures earliest images of universe's formation in Chile

Scientists using the Atacama Cosmology Telescope in Chile have captured the clearest images of the universe's early stages. These images show the cosmic microwave background radiation, the faint afterglow from the Big Bang. The data reveals gas clouds and confirms the leading theory of how the universe evolved. The light observed has traveled for over 13 billion years. It provides a glimpse into the universe when it was just 380,000 years old. This is similar to looking at baby pictures of a now middle-aged universe. The pictures show not just the transition from darkness to light but also the formation of primordial gas clouds that eventually turned into stars and galaxies. Professor Jo Dunkley, who led the analysis, explained that these observations allow us to trace the universe's history from our own Milky Way to distant galaxies. She emphasized that this research helps us understand how the universe became the complex place it is today. New findings show that the observable universe extends nearly 50 billion light-years from Earth. While the universe is about 13.8 billion years old, it has expanded significantly over time. The research estimates that the universe contains about 1,900 zetta-suns in total, with dark matter and dark energy making up the bulk of that mass. The recent observations support the standard model of cosmology, known as Lambda cold dark matter (Lambda CDM). Researchers found no signs of new particles or unusual physics in the universe's early stage, indicating that the model remains solid. The findings also provided precise measurements of the universe's age and its expansion rate. These results are part of the final data released by the ACT, which completed its observations in 2022. Researchers are pleased with the results, as they strengthen our understanding of the cosmos.